Just came back from a midnight showing of this new movie. It stars Marshall Teague, a well recognized character actor, and Jennifer O'Neill. It is a rather low budget movie using stock footage of the Kansas City Plaza christmas lights a few times rather than hang their own lights.
Spoiler Alert**
The story begins with a young man going to war in a desert. He has a new wife who is pregnant. The war is never identified but the young soldier is killed. The young wife and baby leave this bucolic little town to start again. After 14 years she returns with teenager in tow. This is the future, the near future. The ACLU, secular types have apparently won the culture war. Religion is confined to the church and homes of the practicioners. The teenager going through his fathers stuff finds an old bible that he was carrying when he was killed. He takes it to school and is nearly suspended for having it on his person. In an angry outburst he demands to know what his father died for if not for freedom. The grandfather (Teague) who happens to be the mayor decides his grandson has point. The mayor decides to bring back Christmas to the town and events are set in motion.
I guess the main thing to be taken from this is why did someone think this movie was necessary. Is it the canary in the coalmine? Have we given up so many freedoms in the name of pleasing the masses that we no longer recognize that we lost those freedoms? The writer and director seems to think so. Darrel Campbell is a working writer, actor, and producer in Hollywood. I think he has a valid point. Too many times we have backed down to the oppressors because of fear of legal action. Can't mention God in school or in a public setting? Can't fly a flag in front of your house because of the homeowners association? You can't make a movie that criticizes a religion because the followers of that religion are insane? (I'm talking about "The Master") Bit by bit we give up a freedom to appease the minority that have found power in acting offended.
The Mayor draws a line and the media, politicians, liberal institutions, and weak public leaders all form a front to stop him.
Despite the production values the acting is good and I recommend the movie. Just don't expect Red Dawn.